Improvement in sealing fruit-cans



COOPER & HALLER.

Fruit Can. v 2N0. 29,544. Patented Aug. 7. I860.

A PHOTO-LITHO.C0. N.Y. (OSBBRNE'S PROCESS.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. COOPER, OF OHAMBERSBURG, AND WM.L. HALLER, OF CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO JOHN M. COOPER.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEALING FRUIT-CANS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 29,544, dated August 7, 1860.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN M. COOPER, of Ohambersburg, in the county of Franklin,

and WILLIAM L. HALLER, of Carlisle, in the county of Cumberland, both in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hermetically Sealing Fruit Jars and Cans; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a vertical central section through a jar or can and its cover. 7

We are aware that a rubber gasket has been used, in connection with pressure, on the in side of the neck of the can; but there are two serious objections to this plan. First, it allows the fruit to come in contact with the rubber, which taints it with its sulphurous compound.- This alone is sufficient to con demn such placing of the gasket. Secondly, the pressure, being on the inside of the neck, requires that, in the glass or earthen jars, the necks should be very thick to resist such internal pressure, which adds to their cost; but even then they will sometimes crack and ruin the contents of the jar. WVe use a gasket and pressure, but we apply both externallythat is to say, on the outside of the neckand thus press against an arch all the way around, so much so that with a neck of the ordinary thickness of glass, or other mineral substance, the power of a man is not sufficient to crack or break it by ordinary appliances; and, be

' sides this, we remove the gasket farther from the contents of the jar or can, and thus prevent it from tainting the fruit with its sulphurous compound.

Our invention consists in sealing cans by pressure applied to an india-rubber gasket around the outside of the neck of a jar or can by means of the combined use of a ring, a cap or plate, and vertical pressure, as will be explained in connection with the drawing.

A may represent the body of a jar, made of glass or any other vitrified or mineral matter; or it may be made of metal, such as tin. B is the neck of the jar or can. a is a ring which goes around the neck B of the jar or can, and this ring may havea flange, 0, upon it for holding an india-rubber gasket, 6, which may fit closely to the neck of the jar or can. In some cases the flange can be dispensed with. f is a cap or plate, the rim n of which rests upon the gasket 6. A bail, m, extends across the ring from opposite sides, through which may pass a screw, 0, the point of which presses upon the crown of the cap f, and jams it down upon the rubber, which can only spread in one directionviz., toward the neck of thecan or jar. Bycontinuing the pressure upon the cap the can or jar becomes perfectly sealed against the admission of air. The power of the screw may be applied through a cam or cam slot and pin; but it must come vertically upon the cap, so that pressing down the cap vertically shall press the gasket horizontally.

These jars or cans can be instantly opened, and without injury to any of its appliances, which can be used over and over again.

There are several ways of applying the power of the screw upon the gasket, and we do not limit ourselves to either plan.

Having thus fully described our invention, we would state that we do not claim a gasket and pressure when applied inside of the neck of a jar or can; but

WVhat we do claim is- The combination of the ring, the gasket, the cap or plate, and the vertical pressure, when arranged and applied upon the outside of the neck of a fruit jar or can for sealing it, as herein set forth and explained.

JOHN M. COOPER. WILLIAM L. HALLER. Witnesses:

A. B. STOUGHTON, E. COHEN. 

